martz



( Nb Model.) I 2S-heets-Sheet 1. G. J. MARTZ & L." EfBURKETT B,

GATE.

Patented Nov. 19, 1895.

Georgeflflviartgn [lair QA 1 tar- 2 5,11 cw A UN1TEDf-STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EORGE J. MARTZ AND LEWIS E. BURKETTE, or GERMAN, 01110.

GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,972, dated November 19, 1895. Application filed May 31, 1895. sum No. 551,167. (110 model.)

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE J. MARTZ and LEWIS E. BURKETTE, citizens of the United States, residing at German, in the county of Darke and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Gate, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in gates.

The object of the present invention is tov improve the construction of swinging gates, and to enable the same to be opened and closed at a distance from either side of them without dismounting or leaving the vehicle.

A further object of the invention is to pro: vide an operating mechanism which will be positive and reliable and in which there will be no dead-center, but which will exert a continuous pressure on a gate during the entire opening and closing operation.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gate-constructed in accordance with this invention and shown closed. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, the gate being open. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the bracket of the gate and the horizontal latchlever.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a gate, designed to be constructed of any suitable material and hinged to a post 2, and provided with a horizontallydisposed latch-bar 3, slidingly mounted on the gate and having a limited longitudinal movement and engaging a latch-post4 when the gate is closed, and adapted to engage a supplemental latch-post 5 to maintain the gate in its open position.

The latch-bar, which may be mounted in any suitable manner, is located between two of the horizontal rails of the gate, and its movement is limited by pins or stops 6, located at opposite sides of intermediate vertical bars of the gate.

The inner'end of the latch-bar is pivotally connected to a substantially vertical lever 7,

:fulcrumed near its upper end on the gate at '8, and the upper end of this lever is arranged in a slot or opening 9 of the horizontal lever 10, which is fulcrumed intermediate of its ?ends on the bracket 11. The bracket 11 is disposed horizontally and is substantially U-shaped and is provided at the inner terminals of its sides with depending diverging extensions 12, which are secured to the gate. The outer rounded portion of the bracket has mounted on it a curved keeper 13, receiving and forming a guide for the outer end of the horizontal lever 10. This lever is fulcrumed on a cross-piece, which connects the sides of the bracket 11 and which is located at the terminals of the guide. The outer end of the horizontal lever i connected by a link-bar 14 with an arm of a horizontal bell-crank lever 15, which is fulcrumed at its angle on the support or upright 16. The bell-crank lever has one of its arms slightly longer than the other and extended outward in the direction of the roadway when the gate is closed. The other arm of the bellcrank lever is connected with a wire or similar connection 17, extending between a pair of operating-levers 18.

The operating-levers 18 are fulcrumed on the tops of uprights or posts 19 and are connected by substantially parallel wires 17 and 20, the wire 17 being located at the rear ends of the operating-levers and connected with the short arm of the bell-crank lever, as before described. The front ends of the operating-levers are shaped into handles and are located within convenient reach and may be readily grasped by a person without necessitating him dismounting from a horse or leaving a vehicle. The operating-levers oscillate simultaneously and are designed to be located a sufficient distance from the gate, which opens in one direction only to prevent the gate from striking a draft-animal.

The latch-bar being capable of alimitedmovement, a movement of one of the operating-levers first produces a reciprocation of the latch-bar sufficient to disengage it from the keeper of the latch-post or the supplemental latch-post, accordingly'as the gate is closed or opened, and a continued movement of the operating-lever produces a positive swinging action on the gate, which may be readily opened or closed, and there is no deadcenter in the operating mechanism.

The support or upright 16 is connected with the supplemental latch-post 5 by a horizontal bar 21., and with the hinged post 2 by a bar 22, and the bars 21 and 22 are supported by a curved brace 23, located at the upper faces of the said bars 21 and 22 and partially encircling the top of the support or upright 16.

It will be seen that the gate is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it is positive and reliable in operation, and that it may be readily opened and closed at either side without dismounting or leaving a vehicle, and that in opening and closing there is no dead-center.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

\Vhat we claim is 1. The combination of a swinging gate provided with a latch, an upwardly extending lever fulcrumed on the gate and connected with the latch, a bracket mounted on the gate, a horizontally disposed lever fulcrumed on the bracket, and provided at its inner end with an opening receiving the upper end of the said lever, a bell-crank lever connected with the outer end of the horizontally disposed lever and arranged horizontally, and operating levers located at opposite sides of the gate and connected with the bell-crank lever, substantially as, and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of a swinging gate provided with a latch, a bracket mounted on the gate and disposed horizontally, and having a curved outer portion provided with a curved keeper conforming to the configuration of the bracket, a horizontally disposed lever fulcrumcd intermediate of its ends on. the bracket, and provided at its inner end with. an opening, an upwardly extending lever fulcrumed on the gate, and having its upper end arranged in said opening, and its lower end connected with the latch, a bell-crank lever arranged horizontally and fulcrumed at its angle on a suitable support, a bar connecting one arm of the bell-crank lever with the outer end of the horizontally disposed lever, operating levers disposed horizontally and fillerumed intermediateof their ends on suitable supports, and connections bet-ween the operating levers and the other arm of the bell'crank lever, substantially as described.

The combination of a swinging gate provided with a latch, a horizontal lever fulcrunied on the gate at the top thereof in advance of the hinges thereof, and connected with the latch, a horizontally disposed bell crank lever 15 fulcrumed in rear of the gate independently thereof and having one arm extending forward, and located to one side of the gate, the bar ll connecting the said arm of the bell crank lever with the horizontal lever, whereby the bell crank lever is connected both with the gate and the latch, and operating levers connected with the other arm of the bell crank lever, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we havehereto affixed our signal ures in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE J. MARTZ. LE\VIS E. BURKETIE. Vitnesses:

J. T. lllAR'lZ, J. ll. lllAR'lZ. 

